1. Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus which can minimize heat transfer from a fusing unit to an upper cover.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic-type image forming apparatus, such as a laser printer, a copying machine, a fax machine, etc., includes an image forming unit which develops an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive body by using a developer and transfers the image onto paper, and a fusing unit which fuses the transferred image to the paper by using heat and pressure. The paper supplied from a paper supply unit in a main body passes by the image forming unit and the fusing unit in order through a feeding path, and then is discharged to a paper discharge part.
Typically, the fusing unit is kept at a high temperature in order to increase a printing speed by rapidly fusing the transferred image to the paper. However, because heat of the fusing unit is transferred toward a cover provided on an upper portion of the main body, when a user touches the cover, heat may be transferred to the user. The user often opens the cover to remove the paper jammed in the main body or inspect the apparatus. However, the hot cover gives inconvenience in use to the user.
To solve this problem, Korean Patent Registration No. 10-463273 discloses an image forming apparatus which has a heat shielding member provided between a fusing unit and a cover to decrease the heat transfer from the fusing unit to the cover. However, the disclosed image forming apparatus has a limitation in decreasing a temperature of the cover because the air does not circulate smoothly around the heat shielding member and heat stays around the heat shielding member.